PRAIRIE VIEW, TX -- In a tightly contested SWAC basketball contest, the Prairie View A&M Panthers fell short against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats with a final score of 85-82 at the William J. Nicks Building in Prairie View, TX on February 8, 2025.

The game was neck-and-neck from the start, with the Panthers initially taking a slight lead by halftime, scoring 40-37. Key players for Prairie View A&M included Tanahj Pettway, who delivered a stellar performance scoring 23 points and grabbing 5 rebounds, followed by Braelon Bush with 20 points, and Jordan Tillmon rounding out the top three with 15 points and 3 rebounds each. Despite their efforts, the Wildcats surged back in the second half, led by Trey Thomas with 27 points and 8 rebounds.

The Prairie View A&M offense was impressive from beyond the arc, making 11 threes on 21 attempts. Bush hit four treys for the Panthers in the contest.

The Prairie View A&M defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Saturday's game, forcing 13 Bethune-Cookman turnovers while committing nine. Those takeaways turned into 17 points on the offensive end of the floor. Elijah Terry's three steals led the way individually for the Panthers.

How It Happened
After jumping out to a 31-25 advantage, Prairie View A&M went on a 5-0 run with 6:28 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Bush, to increase its lead to 36-25. The Panthers then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 40-37 advantage. Prairie View A&M relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down six shots to account for 18 of its 40 points.

Bethune-Cookman proceeded to take a 71-67 lead before Prairie View A&M went on a 9-0 run, finished off by Bush's layup, to seize a 76-71 lead with 3:47 to go in the contest. Bethune-Cookman re-asserted control, outscoring the Panthers 14-6 the rest of the way to hand Prairie View A&M the 85-82 loss.

The decisive moments came late in the game when Jesus Carralero Martin of Bethune-Cookman made crucial free throws, securing the Wildcats' victory by a narrow three-point margin. This pivotal win for Bethune-Cookman marks another challenging but hard-fought game for the Panthers, who now hold a 4-19 overall record and 3-7 in the SWAC.

Game Notes

» The Panthers made over half of their attempts from three point range, knocking down 11 of 21 shots.
» The Panthers put on a passing clinic, recording an assist on 68 percent of made baskets.
» The Prairie View A&M defense forced 13 turnovers.
» Prairie View A&M turned the ball over nine times while dishing out 19 assists.
» Tanahj Pettway led the Panthers with 23 points and Braelon Bush added 20.
» Prairie View A&M got a team-high six rebounds from Elijah Terry.

Looking ahead, the Panthers are set to face off against Florida A&M University at the same venue on February 10, 2025. As they prepare for their next game, the team hopes to turn their season around and boost their standing in the SWAC.